I´m in Mendoza now and it is raining and has rained for quite a spell, off and on. I hear it is snowing quite a bit in the mountains, anybody have a weather report for the next couple weeks especially north of here in the Ojos area?? I got a report from San Pedro de Atacama, in Chile, that it was not so good there either. Hopefully headed to Fiambala tomorrow or so if/when my gear arrives........ thanks Chris

I can add that I am in La Paz right now and the weather is not good. We tried Huyana Potosi and got snowed out. Some people are summiting, but you have to hit it right. I noticed at the bus stations that some routes are closed due to road closures from flooding.

weather.com for Mendoza says 50% precip today, 30% tomorrow, then much better for the rest of the next 10 day forecast.

I was still on Ojos (Argentinean side) 10 days ago and it used to snow every evening...
had 10 to 50 cm of fresh snow @ + 6000 m.

Jerry L wrote:I can add that I am in La Paz right now and the weather is not good. We tried Huyana Potosi and got snowed out. Some people are summiting, but you have to hit it right. I noticed at the bus stations that some routes are closed due to road closures from flooding.

In the beginning of 2008 there is a phenomenon called "Bolivia High Pressure". Winds arise exactly over Bolivia above the mountains moistening with humidity. The weather in SA is very different than in 2007... In Rio de Janeiro right now is raining (the last 8 days) and the temperature is 5 degrees under the normal conditions. Perhaps, in the next days, turns better and the hot days will coming.

Thanks for the input all, yes it now seems to be turning off better for a spell. Perhaps the full ten days. Ario, did the snow stop you? Many people there?, many summitting? I´ll be in La Rioja, and then Fiambala tomorrow if anyone wants to share a jeep in......Contact Jonson Reynoso....or email me, or both.

I just talked to some friends in Mendoza that said Aconcagua has not been very nice to the climbers this season. Lots of wind and snow.

did the snow stop you?

not this time !
The unusual good weather that day helped a lot though! (clouds moved in at about 16:00)

Many people there?

in 15 days:
a Dutch couple
a solo Estonian girl
a commercial 3+1 member Basque expedition
a 10-member Club Alpin Francais expedition

many summiting?

Dutch couple: Yes
solo Estonian girl : No
commercial 3+1 member basque expedition: Yes (4/4)
10-member Club Alpin Francais expedition: No idea

PS: as far as the Club Alpin Francais expedition, 2 out of 10 summited.

Hate to rub it in to all you folks who chose Nor. Patagonia for a destination. But if any of your were fortunate to visit So. Patagonia (Glacier Natl Park/El Chalten), we had the absolute BEST weather last from January 18th to the 31st. Mostly high pressure systems keeping the nasty weather at bay. In fact, folks in El Chalten said this was the best weather they had seen in 5 years!

Yea Ario, I ran into the French at base camp Pissis, there were only 7 of them at that time and they looked like they were glad to get off of that wind swept rock pile...i guess two were injured wind blown face or something and one more gave up with them, it´s tough out there......but they seemed like nice enough guys, and then I had Pissis alone for 6 days, summitted the third so had to wait at base for my ride for a couple days, lucky weather and a very good time, off to Ojos now. Weather looks acceptable.